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Why Is 
America Neutral? 



BY 



HYACINTHE RINGROSE 




Published by 

THE MARLOWE PRESS, Inc. 

35 Nassau Street 

NEW YORK 



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Copyright, 1914 
By HYACINTHE RINGROSE 



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DEC -9 1914 



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WHY IS AMERICA NEUTRAL? 

BY 

HYACINTHE RINGROSE. 

r. 

Every American citizen fit to look the Statue of Liberty in the 
face is heartily with the AlHes. How could it be otherwise? The 
keystone idea of the American Commonwealth is that all civil 
government should be of the people, by the people, and for the 
people. That idea was not inherited from the aboriginal inhabi- 
tants of the land, nor was it "Made in Germany," it comes from 
the English Motherland, and ^ from the Republic of France, our 
historical ally. 

As citizens of a free democracy our sympathies cannot fit in 
with military despotism, or with Kaiser William's superstition that 
kings rule by Divine Right. 

The overwhelming sentiment of the American people for the 
Allies is not a product of the American Press, but a product of our 
free institutions. 

GERMAN IDEALS OF GOVERNMENT 
OPPOSED TO OURS. 

As President Eliot of Harvard said recently, "Germany has 
placed itself on record that it believes might makes right." It has 
violated the first principle of liberty and freedom. Again, "The 
notion that chivalry, progress, civilization, and love for fellow beings 
has advanced in the world has received a terrible setback from 
Germany." The patriotism of Dr. Eliot is beyond question, and his 
views are those of nine-tenths of the people of this Republic. 

How could the United States be more than officially neutral 
when we remember that Germany is striving with all the power of 
its murderous howitzers to annihilate our sister Republic of France? 
Have we forgotten Lafayette and Rochambeau, and the thousands 
of noble Frenchmen who fought against the armies of a German 
King of England that we might be free? 

% The monarchial tyranny which the American Colonies threw oflf 
in 1776 was "Made in Germany." England, herself, has been a 

3 



victim of Teutonic rulers. The monarchial system of Europe is 
to-day a King Trust "Made in Germany." 

It was Frederick II. of Hesse-Cassel, who sent over to this 
country 22,000 hirehng German soldiers to shoot down the American 
patriots of 1776, who with a bravery which reminds us of the 
Belgians of to-day were fighting that their country should be free. 

Why is America neutral? It is the Government not the people 
of America which is neutral in this world crisis. No one believes 
that either President Wilson or Secretary Bryan, with their ancestry, 
patriotism, experience, and political faith are in their hearts any more 
neutral than the average American. 

AMERICA'S OBLIGATION TO ENGLAND. 

The Declaration of Independence was the product of the heart 
and brain of an Englishman, Thomas Paine, and all the fathers of 
this Republic were of British ancestry. 

There are some England-haters in this country to whom I have 
a message. I want to remind them that England has given to the 
people of America their language, literature, law, and political 
ideals. The English were not the discoverers or even the first 
settlers in theUnited States; they have formed only a small minority 
of the vast army of immigrants which has made this Republic 
its home, but nevertheless we are a nation established and doing 
business largely on English patterns. 

Edward Everett, United States Senator, Governor of Massa- 
chusetts, and President of Harvard University, speaking of the 
obligations of America to England said in a speech delivered ninety 
years ago: 

"What citizen of our republic does not feel, what reflecting 
American does not acknowledge, the incalculable advantages 
derived to this land out of the deep fountains of civil, intellectual, 
and moral truth, from which we have drawn in England ? What 
American does not feel proud that his fathers were the countrymen 
of Bacon, of Newton, and of Locke? Who does not know that, 
while every pulse of civil liberty in the heart of the British empire 
beat warm and full in the bosom of our ancestors, the sobriety, the 
firmness, and the dignity, with which the cause of free principles 
struggled into existence here, constantly found encouragement and 
countenance from the friends of liberty there? 

"Who does not remember that; when the pilgrims went over 
the sea, the prayers of the faithful British confessors, in all the 

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quarters of their dispersion, went over with them, while their aching 
eyes were strained till the star of hope should go up in the western 
skies ? And who will ever forget that, in that eventful struggle 
which severed these youthful republics from the British crown, 
there was not heard, throughout our continent in arms, a voice 
which spoke louder for the rights of America, than that of Burke or 
of Chatham within the walls of the British parliament and at the 
foot of the British throne?" 

GERMAN, AUSTRIAN AND TURKISH THEORIES 
OF GOVERNMENT. 

What principle of democracy or political economy has Germany 
Austria, or Turkey taught us? What does any of these countries 
know of the idea, imported from England and France, that all 
government derives its just power from the consent of the governed? 
All such questions are correctly answered when we realize that the 
American people have nothing in common with German, Austrian, 
or Turkish theories of government. England-haters should note 
that those two bulwarks of our liberty, trial by jury, and the writ of 
habeas corpus are English institutions. From the United States Su- 
preme Court at Washington, to the Night Magistrate's Court in 
Manhattan, our jurisprudence follows English models and prece- 
dents. No lawyer in any part of the United States would think of 
quoting a German, Austrian or Turkish legal precedent. The 
English way of thinking, speaking, writing and living has outlived 
all other ways in this country by the inevitable operation of the law 
of the survival of the fittest. 

The history of the United States is mainly a record of the wis- 
dom, patriotism and efficiency of men and women whose ancestors 
were kinsmen by blood to the Glorious Allies now fighting for 
freedom and democracy. 

IS ENGLAND'S DIFFICULTY IRELAND'S OPPORTUNITY? 

There are a few "Irish-Americans," who have never been nearer 
in geography and sympathy to Ireland than Hoboken, New Jersey, 
who are pro-German today on the theory that England's difficulty is 
Ireland's opportunity. These irreconcilables do not represent Ireland. 
While a handful of them attend German rallies and look stupid when 
"Die Wacht am Rhein'' is sung, real Irishmen, are giving their lives 
and blood to save Great Britain and Ireland from the alien enemy. 

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To-day Ireland, Protestant and Catholic is a unit for the Allies. 
Every Irishman of consequence, including John Redmond, Sir Ed- 
ward Carson, T. P. O'Connor, and Timothy Healey are earnestly on 
the side of freedom and right. 

It must need little argument to prove that the great mass of men 
of Irish birth, who live in Ireland understand the conditions, needs, 
aims and destiny of Ireland better than a few "Irish-Americans'' 
whose only rule of faith is to hate England. 

Richard Lalor Sheil of Waterford, Ireland, addressing the House 
of Commons nearly a century ago said: "The blood of England, 
Scotland and of Ireland, flowed in the same stream, and drenched 
the same field. When the chill morning dawned their dead lay 
cold and stark together — in the same deep pit their bodies were 
deposited — the green corn of spring is now breaking from their 
commingled dust — the dew falls from heaven upon their union in 
the grave. Partakers in every peril — in the glory shall we not be 
permitted to participate; and shall we be told, as a requital, that we 
are estranged from the noble country for whose salvation our 
life-blood was poured out?" 

There are thousands of Irishmen, whose patriotism and wisdom 
no one assails, who are convinced that it is not only a duty, 
but a high privilege, for the sons of Erin to fight shoulder to shoulder 
with their English, Scottish and French brothers against the alien 
foe, the brutal Sassenach, whose recent invasion and destruction of 
Belgium shows the whole world what Ireland might expect if 
German criminal militarism is successful. 

How can America be neutral when her sister and ancient ally, 
republican France is fighting a foe seeking to destroy French nation- 
ality ? We have not forgotten the noble Lafayette who as a youth 
of nineteen years came to America to fight for our independence, 
without pay, as a volunteer? If Washington and Lafayette are 
again together, this time in the Land beyond Death, how they must 
watch with anxious hearts the invasion by the modern Hun of 
beautiful France. 

WE CANNOT AFFORD GERMAN VICTORY. 

The United States cannot afford to continue even officially neutral 
in the present War. This country has been a land of peace and pros- 
perity; a land offering an asylum to the oppressed of all other lands; 
it cannot afford for its own sake to allow Germany , Austria or Turkey 
to destroy democratic governments and institutions. 

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If Germany won it would become the ruling power of Europe 
and its triumphant militarism would be a menace to this country. 
As a matter of national security, in order to insure ourselves against 
great howitzers and bomb-dropping Zeppelins we would be obliged 
to maintain enormous standing military, naval and aerial establish- 
ments. 

DEMOCRACY IS IN PERIL. 

Germany has considered its treaty with Belgium as a "scrap of 
paper," how would it treat the Monroe Doctrine? 

In a controversy with a Germany ruling Europe, what would be 
the fate of the United States unless we rivalled German militarism 
with American militarism? If Germany wins we would be obliged 
to fetter our free citizens with the chains of compulsory military 
service. Why? Because a power which did not hesitate to invade 
and devastate brave little Belgium, which as Theodore Roosevelt 
says, attempted it no harm, would need constant watching. 

America cannot afford to be neutral even on selfish grounds. 
However, the people of America are not by nature selfish. No other 
country in history has shown so much useful sympathy for the weak 
and oppressed. We went to war with Spain not because we hated 
that country or its people, but because of our sympathy for the 
people of Cuba. We may be obliged to join the allies in their War 
against Germany, Austria and Turkey, not because we hate Germans, 
Austrians or Turks, but because this nation "conceived in liberty, 
and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal," 
stands for the ideal that "government of the people, by the people, 
for the people, shall not perish, from the earth." 

NO GRIEVANCE AGAINST THE GERMAN PEOPLE. 

Let it be understood here that I have no hatred or dislike for the 
people of Germany. I know the country and its language better 
than do most American citizens. I have been edified and enter- 
tained by the works of its great men including those of Goethe, who 
wished that "Germans could be made over on the models of 
Englishmen." I also admire the German historian Mommsen who 
uttered the following warning to his fellow countrymen: "Have a 
care gentlemen, lest in this state, which has been at once a power in 
intelligence, the intelligence should vanish, and nothing but the pure 
military state should remain." 

Of course I do not accept German "culture" at the exorbitant 

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price placed upon it by those who are at present offering it as an ex- 
cuse for murder and spoHation, but the German people minus 
Kaiserism are a very decent lot of humans. The German I have 
met in Germany and the United States is far from being super- 
human, but he is fairly intelligent and useful citizen. 

The spiritual life of a nation is of more importance than its 
culture, and spiritually Germany is an extinct volcano. 

THE PAN-GERMAN MOVEMENT. 

In Harper's Weekly we are told by Mr. Norman Hapgood that, 
"Thirty years ago a German-American was an American. When he 
left Germany he left it almost altogether. He assimilated more 
rapidly than any other American. Under the Pan-German propa- 
ganda he has changed his civic attitude." The same is true of the 
German-Englishman. Twenty-five years ago he went to England to 
make that country his home; to establish a homestead, and raise up 
his children as loyal Englishmen and Englishwomen. Of late the 
German in London or Liverpool has considered his residence in 
England simply a matter of temporary business necessity. "Germany 
above all!" is the motto of Pan-Germanism. 

When on August 4th, 1914, England declared war against 
Germany, not one of the hundred thousand German residents of 
Great Britain offered or was willing to fight for the land of their 
adoption. It made no difference whether they were naturahzed 
Britons, had English wives or children, or had lived almost all their 
lives under the Union Jack, their attitude was definitely expressed 
by the three words, "Germany above all!" 

If the United States ever goes to war with Germany, German- 
Americans will consider their naturalization certificates as scraps of 
paper, and fight for the Kaiser. 

THE MONROE DOCTRINE. 

Mr. Hapgood points out to us that a warlike challenge from 
Germany, to the Monroe Doctrine is the most serious among our 
possible foreign difficulties. In this connection we must remember 
two important facts, the first being that the maintenance of the Mon- 
roe Doctrine is this country's principal safeguard against foreign in- 
terference and aggression, and second, that Germany does not ac- 
cept the Monroe Doctrine as being even of the value of a scrap of 
paper. 



The Monroe Doctrine is the formulation of the sentiment that 
America is for Americans. It was declared by the fifth president of 
the United States in his sev'enth annual message, on December 2d, 
1813. The occasion of proclaiming this doctrine was the rumored in- 
tervention of the Holy Alliance to aid Spain in the reconquest of her 
American colonies. Although the Monroe Doctrine was originated 
by President Monroe, it has received larger and more definite form 
during later administrations. It means to-day that the United 
States of America will not permit any power of the Eastern Hemi- 
spere to acquire new territorial possessions or sovereignty, or increase 
its present holdings or jurisdiction in any part of the Western Hemi- 
sphere. The maintenance of this necessary American doctrine 
or policy brought friction between this country and Great Britain 
over Venezuela during the administration of President Cleveland, 
and it would soon furnish a cause for war between colony hungry 
Germany and the United States if the Kaiser wins his present crim- 
inal enterprise. In such a war the German-American would clean 
his rifle with his certificate of American naturalization, and fight for 
Germany. 

We are obliged to Count von Bernstoff, the German Ambas- 
sador, for bringing the matter home to us in his warning of October 
25th, that Germany considers it within her rights to invade Canada. 
He and Dr, Dernburg argue that such an invasion would not be a 
violation of the Monroe Doctrine. Kaiser William, Count von 
Bernstoff and Dr. Dernburg had better take notice that the people 
of these United States do not take definitions or constructions of 
the Monroe Doctrine "Made in Germany." 

WHY IS ENGLAND ALLIED WITH RUSSIA? 

Every little while we are reminded that democratic England and 
republican France are allied with Russia against Germany. "Does 
this make for culture and civilization?" asks the Kaiserite. In view 
of German's definition of "culture" as a combination of zeppelins- 
howitzers, and floating mines, we suppose it does not, but the 
alliance of England and France and Russia is certainly on the side 
of progress, peace, and civilization. 

A nation represented by Pushkin, Turgeneff and Tolstoy, in 
literature ; by Kramskoy, Verestchagin and Glinka, in art ; and by 
Metchnikoff, Pavloff and Mendeleiff in science, can afford to have its 
culture compared with that of any other rnodern community. 

Ideals count for more than ideas in a nation's development. 

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The ideals of Russia are leading her slowly but surely to the highest 
plane of civilized culture. 

There are various forms of culture, and some of them are not 
signs of civilization. The burglar who pursues his trade scientifi- 
cally, and the murderer who studies chemistry so as to speedily 
dispose of his victim, are both men of culture, but such culture is 
not needed in Russia, or anywhere else. A book like that of "The 
Next War" by General von Bernhardi would not be accepted in 
Russia as proof of its author's "culture," it would rather prove to 
the Russians that General von Bernhardi is a human bloodhound. 

Some years ago a certain monarch proposed a general disarma- 
ment of the European powers. Was it Kaiser William who sug- 
gested this peace measure? No, it was the present Czar of Russia- 
To-day a certain emperor has a plan to organize for peace purposes 
the United States of Europe. Is it Emperor William of Germany? 
No, it is the Czar of Russia who has again proven his high motives 
and ideals. 

THE UNSPEAKABLE TURK. 

In attacking Russians for their lack of culture the Germans say 
nothing of the unspeakable Turk, who has long been Germany's 
secret and underhand ally. 

Upon what theory of culture or civilization can Germany justify 
its dragging of the " Sick Man of Europe" into this conflict? The 
whole record of Germany's dealings and alliance with Turkey in the 
present world crisis has been criminal and underhand. What 
American ever believed that the "sale'' of the German warships, 
Goeben and Breslau, to Turkey was made in good faith? It is 
plain that driven by its war culture into desperate difficulties, 
Germany has deliberately endangered the whole fabric of Christian 
civilization by inducing Turkey to join the Kaiser in his mad war. 

THE ALLEGED ''YELLOW PERIL." 

Germany, which after much plotting and chicanery, has incited 
Turkey, the relentless enemy of our civilization to assist in its 
present criminal warfare, finds fault with England for accepting the 
aid of the Japanese. Of course the explanation that Japan is, by 
solemn contract, made before the war, the ally of England in the 
Far East, is ignored by the nation which esteems international 
contracts and treaties as "mere scraps of paper," which may be 
violated through military necessity. 

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Many Englishmen and Americans do not like the color of the 
skin of a Japanese, or the way he wears his eyes, but nevertheless 
the people of Japan are entitled to justice and respect. Much of the 
disHke between Americans and Japanese is the work of jingoes who 
have stirred up racial animosities for sinister and selfish purposes. 

In his book on "Japan To-day and To-morrow," Dr. Hamilton 
Wright Mabie, tells us, it is conceivable that Japan understands 
America better than America understands Japan. " She has 
certainly," says Dr. Mabie, "had abundant demonstration of the 
intolerant and one would suppose quite intolerable arrogance of 
Western 'Superiority.' Our Yellow Peril can never cut so deep 
into our national consciousness as her White Peril has cut into 
hers." 

Russia, who found Japan a brilliant and mighty adversary, is a 
witness to the humanity and courtliness of Japanese soldiers. In 
the Russo-Japanese War the Japanese by their exceptional kindly 
and considerate treatment of prisoners earned their right to be 
accepted as a modern and civilized people. 

The proportion of illiterancy to-day is higher in Boston, Massa- 
chusetts than in Tokyo, Japan. An eminent German teacher declares 
that "For quick receptiveness, and rapid, thorough assimilation of 
mental food, the Japanese are unparalled." 

Several years ago when I was working in the British Museum 
editing a book on the comparative marriage and divorce laws of the 
world, I was surprised to find that the best treatise on the German 
Code of 1900, was by a Japanese. Surely England needs to offer no 
apology for the mental prowess of Japan. 

In his book, "Japan To-day," Professor Scherer says: "If there 
is one characteristic that impressed me more than any other, it is the 
wonderful gentleness of this race." These are the brilliant, heroic, 
and gentle people whose alliance with the English is a mutual 
honor. 

NO NATION HAS A MONOPOLY OF CULTURE. 

It is a mistake for the Germans, or any other people, to imagine 
that they have a monopoly of culture, civilization, or any other 
special advantage enjoyed by us poor humans. Every nation can 
justly boast of a galaxy of good, wise, and talented men and 
women. It is a greater mistake for the Germans to attempt to 
inject their particular ^brand of "culture" into the Belgians by 
howitzers, or to attempt to drop it in bomb capsules from Zeppelins 

11 



upon the French who are fully as cultivated as any other race in 
Europe. AtanyrateAmericans do not approve of culture by howitzers. 

I was in France the summer just passed, when the dreadful 
cloud of the war appeared on the horizon of the world politics. I 
know Frenchmen did not expect or desire war with any nation. 
The people of our beautiful sister Republic were too busy minding 
their own business to desire any form of aggression upon their 
neighbors in Europe; too much occupied with the arts of peace to 
have any leisure for that horrible method of wholesale murder 
Germans call the "science of war." Everyone prayed and hoped 
that the threatening cloud would pass, but suddenly the storm burst 
in all its fury, and human beings, supposed to be civilized, began a 
tremendous slaughter of each other. 

Throughout all this dreadful affair one question has been 
uppermost in the minds of Americans: " Who is responsible for the 
War?" 

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WAR? 

The German Kaiser pretends to piety, and poses as an amateur 
theologian, so I have a message for him. It is contained in the 7th 
verse of the Eighteenth Chapter of the Gospel according to Saint 
Matthew, and reads: "Woe unto the world because of offences! for 
it must needs be that offences come ; but woe to that man by whom 
the offence cometh ! " 

The people of America are convinced that the present war is an 
offence against God and mankind. After a study of the various 
records submitted by the parties at war, we are of the opinion that 
because of the peculiar form of "culture" at present dominant in 
Germany this war was inevitable ; but if the war came by the 
attitude and conduct of one man above all others on earth, the 
evidence points out Kaiser William as the guilty one. 

BELGIUM THE GLORIOUS. 

The greatest offence in modern history was the ruthless and 
savage devastation of splendid little Belgium by the German army 
to suit the Kaiser's " military necessities." 

Belgium is small in geography but great in heart and spirit. 
The Belgians are as modest as they are brave, and that is why so 
little was known of them by the average American before the 
present war. They have not tired the ears of other nationalities by 
singing their own praises in| [extravagant songs, or by reciting their 

12 



supposed virtues in grandiloquent verse. They are a brave race 
who Hve in their deeds. 

In the midst of all the awful ruin and carnage caused by 
"cultured" Germany's howitzers, one human being stands forth as 
a radiant figure, and that is the noble and princely patriot, who lias 
been described as a "ruler without a country," Albert, the King of 
the Belgians; This is the king who on August 3d, of this year sent 
the following telegram to George V. of England : 

"Remembering the numerous proofs of your Majesty's friend- 
ship and that of your predecessors, and the friendly attitude of 
England in 1870, and the proof of friendship she has just given us 
again. I make a supreme appeal to the diplomatic intervention of 
your Majesty's Government to safeguard the integrity of Belgium." 

Belgium only asked to be left alone and independent. 

When Belgium appealed to England's King the reason which 
moved England to intervene is best set forth in the following 
quotation from a speech by Mr. Gladstone : 

"We have an interest in the independence of Belgium, which is 
wider than that which we may have in the literal operation of the 
guarantee. It is found in the answer to the question whether, under 
the circumstances of the case, this country, endowed as it is with 
influence and power, would quietly stand by and witness the perpe- 
tration of the direst crime that ever stained the pages of history, 
and thus become participators in the sin." 

And yet Geimany's professors of brutality, whose chief 
university is the Krupp gun factory, like parrots repeat Napoleon's 
phrase, "Perfidious Albion!" 

I know not what alteration in the map of Europe may be the 
result of the present war, but if the AUies consent to any peace 
which fails to give justice and reparation to glorious little Belgium 
I shall despair for the cause of civilization. 

AVERE THE BELGIANS FOOLISH ? 

When Germany's attention is called to its barbarous invasion 
of Belgium ; its wanton destruction of historic buildings and 
monuments in that country ; its slaughter and mutilation of non- 
combatants ; and the criminal extortion of immense sums of money 
from the helpless burghers of Belgian cities, what is its defense? 
Simply this: The Belgians were " foolish" to oppose the German 
advance, as it would have been "easier" for them to have accepted 
"compensation" and permitted the invasion. 

13 



The argument of "ease" and "compensation" appealed no more 
to King Albert and his people in 1914 than it appealed to George 
Washington and the American Colonists in 1776. Posterity will 
bless the Belgians for refusing to sell their birthright for a mess of 
German pottage. 

The German mind obsessed with its misdirected culture cannot 
understand that the Belgians and all other normal humans view 
the present war as a gigantic clash of ideals. The German ideal is 
to dominate by brute force all countries weaker in military power, 
while the ideal of truly civilized communities is to dwell in peace, 
respecting the right of all other people, and giving full faith to 
international treaties and contracts. 

GERMANY IS AN OUTLAW NATION. 

The man who breaks into my house, kills a member of my 
family, and robs me of my money, is a burglar, a murderer, and a 
thief; and the criminality of such acts is none the less because they 
are perpetrated by a whole nation, on a tremendous scale, and 
against an entire community. Even the "culture" of a criminal, or 
of a band of criminals, is not a sufficient excuse for crime. The 
recent doings of Germany in Belgium class it as an outlaw among 
the nations of the earth. 

The American people have never had much doubt as to the 
guilt of Germany and its Kaiser ; and thank God there is enough of 
His love in the hearts of our citizens to make them offer to the 
outraged Belgians their deepest affection and sympathy. 

GERMANY OPPOSED TO PEACE. 

During the past fifty years there have developed among 
civilized nations a great movement to bring about the abolition of 
war. So convincing have been the arguments of English, American, 
French and Russian publicists showing the savagery and degrada- 
tion of war, that it seemed to most of us that such a bloody conflict 
as that now disgracing Europe, was no longer a possibility among 
civilized and rational humans. In our optimism, however, we over- 
looked Germany. 

The devoted men and woman of the International Peace Society, 
the Carnegie Foundation and similar organizations failed to under- 
stand that the history, education, and philosophy of Germany are 
founded on materialism and physical force. They forgot that 

14 



religion, which Matthew Arnold beautifully defined as "the power 
outside ourselves which makes for righteousness," is considered a 
weakness by Teutonic professors. And so in spite of all our hopes 
the great war is here. 

Nevertheless, those of us who consider war simply as murder 
on a huge scale still believe that every form of warfare among 
humans is an anachronism, and will be abolished. We accept the 
teaching of the Prince of Peace, who said : "All they that take the 
sword shall perish with the sword." We have not lost faith in God, 
whose Name is so often used blasphemously by the new Attila, 
Kaiser William. We also hope that while the present war is a 
conflagration which can only be quenched by the blood of millions 
of the fellow-countrymen of the mad fiend who set the torch, one 
lasting benefit to humanity may come out of it, and that is the 
annihilation of war itself. 

Such a world-peace, as the really civilized and cultured people 
of all lands are hoping for, can only come after the complete 
destruction of German militarism. Germany is the disturber of 
international peace, and the sooner Americans recognize that fact 
the better for America. 

Are we shocked at Germany's methods and machinery in the 
killing of innocent neutrals like the Belgians ? Then note that the 
same barbarism and the same Krupp guns would be hurled at us if 
German "military necessity " called for such action. There is no 
sentimentalism in Prussian statesmanship; no turning aside because 
of "decent respect to the opinions of mankind." 

Mr. Arthur Moore warns us that if Germany wins in the present 
war, she could disarm the rest of Europe as the first move towards 
world domination. He says: " With a disarmed Europe Germany 
could collect ample shipping to carry across the Atlantic an over- 
whelming force, and could, in spite of us, throw a great army upon 
our coasts, or a number of great cities. Europe disarmed could no 
more help us than the natives of Central Africa could." 

A victorious German army could easier than the confident 
patriotism of most Americans think possible, take New York, 
Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Chicago. It may surprise 
some of our citizens to learn that the German General Staff has 
already prepared exhaustive plans and blue prints for the taking of 
these American cities, whenever German "culture" and ''military 
necessity" call for their capture." 

The present war was begun by the Kaiser with more in view 

15 



than the crushing of the Republic of France, and the breaking up of 
the British Empire. The Madman of Potsdam beheves he is God- 
anointed and appointed, to estabh'sh a new German-Roman Empire. 
To accompUsh this he must first impose on Europe the regime of a 
military feudalism. If he succeeds in Europe, our turn comes next ! 
General Leonard A. Wood, commanding the Department of the 
East of the United States Army, in an impressive message to the 
American people, which appeared in the New York Sun, on Sunday, 
November 15th of this year, shows conclusively how poorly prepared 
their country is to oppose German invasion. 

In short, America is not, and cannot be, neutral in the present 
war, because we believe there are spiritual qualities in human life 
the cultivation of which is more desirable than mere material con- 
quests. Because we hold with Matthew Arnold, that "culture looks 
beyond machinery, culture hates hatred, culture has one great 
passion, the passion for sweetness and light." 



POSTSCRIPTUM. 

George Bernard Shaw's article on the war, which was printed 
recently in the New York Times, has no other motive than to 
advertise its over-advertised author, but it may unsettle the minds 
of some people who are unfamiliar with the methods of G. B. S. 

The clown is often the best man in a circus, but he is sadly out 
of place in the forum of world politics. George Bernard Shaw has 
managed to keep his literary productions before a patient public by 
posing as a literary clown, but while such clownishness is harmless 
as a measure to sell light literature, it is not appropriate in discussing 
such an appalling tragedy as the present war. 

Shaw, whose surname is no more Hibernian than his very 
English first name, George, finds it necessary to tell the world 
every now and then that he is really an Irishman, and in his latest 
frivolous article he pretends to write from an Irish viewpoint. This 
"fellow of infinite jest," likes a joke so well that even his pretension 
to be Irish must be accepted with caution. 

I would like to tell Mr. Shaw, that there are many subjects in 
this world upon which he might, with good taste, exercise his alleged 
wit and humor, but the dreadful war, which is hourly destroying 
the best and bravest of human beings in Europe, is not one of 
them, 

16 



There is only one feature of Shaw's essay calhng for an answer, 
and that is his untrue assertion that England has been planning 
and preparing for the war. If the purpose of a nation to wage war 
fs shown by its preparedness, then it is manifest that Germany has 
planned the war for over forty years past. Any school boy who reads 
the newspapers can tell Mr. Shaw that Germany has shown itself 
so thoroughly prepared for the war that it seemed, as a newspaper 
correspondent recently wrote, that in August last there were but 
three properly organized institutions on earth, namely the Catholic 
Church, the Standard Oil Company, and the German Army. 

The unpreparedness of England for war last August was 
woefully apparent to everyone. 

That England did not desire war is evident from the efforts 
and expressions of Sir Edward Grey. In the House of Commons on 
August 3d — one day before England declared war on Germany, the 
British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs said: "First of all let 
me say, very shortly, that we have conscientiously worked with a 
single mind for peace. The House may be satisfied on that point. 
We have always done it. During these last years, so far as Flis 
Majesty's Government are concerned, we would have no difficult v 
in proving that we have done so. Throughout the Balkan crisis, by 
general admission, we worked for peace. The co-operation of the 
Great Powers of Europe was successful in working for peace in the 
Balkan crisis. It is true that some of the Powers had great difficulty 
in adjusting their points of view. It took much time and labor and 
discussion before they could settle their differences, but peace was 
secured, because peace was their main object, and they were willing 
to give time and trouble rather than accentuate differences rapidly. 

"In the present crisis it has not been possible to secure the 
peace of Europe, because there has been little time, and there has 
been a disposition — at any rate in some quarters on v,hich I will not 
dwell — to force things rapidly to an issue, at any rate to the great 
risk of peace. 

"JVe shall publish papers as soon as we can, rega}' ding what took 
place last week when we were working for peace ; and when those papers 
are published I have no doubt that to every human being they will make 
it clear how strenuous and genuine^ and whole-hearted our efforts for 
peace were, and that they will enable people to form their ow7i judgment 
as to what forces were at zuork which operated against peace,'' 

Here we have Sir Edward Grey against G. B. Shaw ; facts 
against fiction. 

17 



I cannot close without appealing to every right-minded 
American man or woman, who reads this pamphlet, to do something 
this coming Christmastide to help the heroic and suffering people of 
Belgium. This Christmas will be a sad one for this old world of 
ours, but we can make it more like the happy Christmases of the 
past by showing the Christ spirit towards the helpless men, women, 
and children of that splendid little country which is suffering so 
much, that civilization and democracy may endure in Europe. 

There are many ways of proving our Christianity this Christmas, 
but I know of none so practical and useful, as that of sending 
through any of the committees organized in this countr)% a Christ- 
mas present of money, food or clothing for our friends the Belgians. 
Such committees can easily be found by consulting the daily news- 
papers of our large cities. 

I am also informed that the Salvation Army, one of the most 
beneficent institutions now in existence, is also doing its share in 
relieving the sufferings of the poor people in Belgium and Northern 
France. 

Remember the letter of St. Paul to the Colossians, wherein he 
said: "And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond 
of perfectness." 

H. R. 




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